A General Front Committee Composed of Liu, Chen, Deng, Su, and Tan Shall Coordinate All Matters[1]

(November 16, 1948)

To Liu, Chen, and Deng, with Su, Chen, and Zhang[2]; inform Tan, Wang, Wei, and Ji[3]; the East China Bureau; the Central Plains Bureau; the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu Sub-Bureau; the North Jiangsu Work Committee; and the North China Bureau:

(1) All telegrams have been noted. The dispositions are entirely appropriate. (2) If, after annihilating Huang’s Corps[4], the East China Field Army can proceed to annihilate several divisions of Qiu and Li[5], rendering these two enemy forces unable to move, it will be extremely advantageous to the overall situation. (3) If, after capturing Suxian, the Central Plains Field Army can continue to annihilate the enemy in the Guzhen area and dispatch a force to garrison Mengcheng, it may delay Huang Wei’s[6] offensive against Suxian and threaten Bengbu. (4) Li Yannian[7] is now in Bengbu serving as Commander of the 6th Corps, commanding the 96th and 99th Armies. According to Li,

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to Liu Bocheng, Commander of the Central Plains Field Army; Chen Yi, First Deputy Commander; and Deng Xiaoping, Political Commissar, among others.

[2] Su, Chen, and Zhang refer to Su Yu, Chen Shiju, and Zhang Zhen, who at the time were respectively Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar, Chief of Staff, and Deputy Chief of Staff of the East China Field Army.

[3] Tan and Wang refer to Tan Zhenlin and Wang Jian’an, who at the time were respectively Political Commissar and Deputy Commander of the Shandong Corps of the East China Field Army. Wei and Ji refer to Wei Guoqing and Ji Luo (Ji Pengfei), who at the time were respectively Commander and Deputy Political Commissar of the North Jiangsu Corps of the East China Field Army.

[4] Huang’s Corps refers to the 7th Corps of the Kuomintang Army, commanded by Corps Commander Huang Baitao.

[5] Qiu and Li refer to Qiu Qingquan and Li Mi, who at the time were respectively Commanders of the 2nd and 13th Corps of the Kuomintang Army.

[6] Huang Wei was then Commander of the 12th Corps of the Kuomintang Army.

[7] Li Yannian was then Commander of the 6th Corps of the Kuomintang Army.

the 39th Army (i.e., two divisions of Wang Boxun’s[1] unit, originally the 8th Army stationed in Yantai, later shipped to Jinxi, and now shipped to Pukou) can reach Bengbu and Fenyang by the 16th. Liu, Chen, and Deng are requested to take note. Whether the 54th Army (Que Hanqian’s[2] four divisions) shipped south from Jinxi will also be added to the Bengbu-Pukou Line[3] remains to be investigated. Assuming this unit also arrives, there will be a total of twenty-five divisions on the southern front, including the forces of Huang Wei, Liu Ruming[4], Li Yannian, Wang Boxun, Que Hanqian, and others. This constitutes a major enemy force, and appropriate countermeasures must be carefully devised. (5) The two armies of the Central Plains and East China must be prepared to operate in the current area for three to five months (including periods of rest and reorganization). The number of personnel to be fed, including prisoners of war, will reach approximately eight hundred thousand. This must be resolved through overall coordination by you in conjunction with the East China Bureau, the North Jiangsu Work Committee, the Central Plains Bureau, the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu Sub-Bureau, and the Hebei-Shandong-Henan District Party Committee. Victory in this battle will not only largely stabilize the situation north of the Yangtze River but also fundamentally resolve the situation nationwide. Proceed from this perspective to coordinate all matters. For unified leadership, a General Front Committee shall be formed by the five comrades Liu, Chen, Deng, Su, and Tan. When possible, convene meetings of the five to discuss important issues. Routinely, Liu, Chen, and Deng shall serve as the Standing Committee to handle all matters as they arise, with Comrade Xiaoping acting as Secretary of the General Front Committee.

Central Military Commission

18:00 hours, 16th

[1] Wang Boxun was then Commander of the 39th Army of the Kuomintang.

[2] Que Hanqian was then Commander of the 54th Army of the Kuomintang.

[3] The Bengbu-Pukou Line refers to the railway from Bengbu to Pukou, a section of the present-day Beijing-Shanghai Railway.

[4] Liu Ruming was then Commander of the 8th Corps of the Kuomintang.